Making the Connection with Storytelling

In any organization, the power of storytelling transcends not only audiences but departments. It’s an effective communication tool that connects individuals to one another through the opportunity to frame relatable experiences.

The FMI Government Relations team uses storytelling to effectively communicate to legislators and regulators the legislative and regulatory implications rules have on our industry and the communities they serve. Compelling stories connect individuals on a personal level and can achieve tremendous results.

In the food retail industry, a timely, critical issue is correctly implementing U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) menu labeling rule. The relationships FMI issue experts have built and the ongoing personal communication, including taking regulators and legislators on store tours to show them actual examples, has led to a clear regulatory victory with reopening the comment period on the rule so more stories and examples can be collected. FDA is also allowing more time for grocers to become compliant with the rule once it is revised.

Watch FMI’s Chief Public Policy Officer, SVP, Jennifer Hatcher, describe how the power of storytelling makes a difference in Government Affairs. Watch here.

By: Doug Baker, Vice President, Private Brands, Food Marketing Institute At FMI Connect, FMI President and CEO Leslie Sarasin pointed to trends in the industry that demonstrate how the supermarket is a microcosm of the world. We also learned from her presentation that there’s a unique opportunity for food retailers to become trusted allies in helping shoppers navigate the aisles, most notably regarding their attitudes around wellness. As brand owners, the opportunity exists for us to mirror the desires and lifestyles of our customers through our private brand offerings—to go from selling to customers to inspiring them. At the ...

By: Jeanne von Zastrow, Senior Director for Sustainability, Food Marketing Institute According to the World Wildlife Fund, by 2050 we’ll need to be feeding 9 billion people and demand for food, water and energy is expected to have doubled. It’s facts like these that are encouraging all players in our industry – from suppliers to food retailers, government and NGO’s—to come together in pre-competitive collaboration to improve sustainability within our supply chains. The attention to environmental and social issues is making consumers care more and more that the food they eat is sustainable and environmentally conscious. Our industry is ...